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State of State

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FRIDAY JANUARY 18, 2018

134th YEAR ISSUE 26

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

MSU holds 25th Unity Breakfast honoring MLK Jr. TORI BOATNER STAFF WRITER

In celebration of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion at Mississippi State University will host the 25th Annual Unity Breakfast and Day of Service at The Mill Conference Center. This community event will begin at 8 a.m. Monday with breakfast, followed by the 9 a.m. program. The keynote speaker for this year’s event is Marcus L. Thompson, the deputy commissioner and chief administrative officer for the Mississippi Institution of Higher Learning (IHL). Thompson also serves as the system diversity officer for IHL and the pastor of Mt. Ridge United Methodist Church in Brandon. Tyrel Jernigan, coordinator of Diversity Initiatives in the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion, said it is important for events like this to take place in order to continue the legacy of King. “We’re fulfilling his dream by being engaged and staying connected to the community, as well as allowing our students to understand what service really is,” Jernigan said. Looking to encourage more student participation, Jernigan said four residence halls will live-stream the

program on Monday. These residence halls include Herbert, Oak, Dogwood and Griffis. There will also be doughnuts and coffee for attendees. In conjunction with the Unity Breakfast, the Maroon Volunteer Center, Volunteer Starkville and the Office of Sorority and Fraternity Life are coordinating a “Day of Service” for volunteers. Volunteers can include students, faculty, staff and community members. There will be a chance to register to volunteer for service sites at the event. Volunteer sites will be assigned between 8 and 10 a.m. After the program, volunteers will report to their service sites to volunteer from 10:45 a.m. until 12:45 p.m. Service sites will be scattered throughout the Starkville and Columbus area. Transportation will be provided upon request during registration. Emily Bedwell, a graduate service assistant at the Maroon Volunteer Center, said the MLK Day of Service is a great way for volunteers to make a difference in the community. “It’s special that people are taking time out on a holiday to volunteer and give back to the community that they’re a part of,” Bedwell said.

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MSU Alumnus Chase McGill received two Grammy Award nominations in the Best Country Song category for “Someone Stops Loving You” and “Break Up In The End.”

Former student nominated for two Grammys HUNTER CLOUD SPORTS EDITOR

itting in a deer stand, a hunter’s phone starts buzzing with texts, and finally, a phone call broke through the cold silence. With this call, Chase McGill, a Mississippi State University alumnus from Columbus, found out he was nominated for two Grammy Awards. The phone call came from Jessie Jo Dillon, who was a co-songwriter with McGill for one of the nominated songs. “She said, ‘You just got two grammy nominations.’ So I yelled, ‘What!’” McGill said. “I started hooting and hollering from there, my hunting was ruined for the day. That was my nomination moment. That is fairly redneck of me.”

The two nominated songs are “Break Up in the End” sung by Cole Swindell, and “When Someone Stops Loving You” sung by Little Big Town. The two songs are in the Best Country Song category. It was an interesting road for McGill to go from graduating from MSU with a business administration degree to songwriting. His original plan was to have a business administration degree with a focus in German and marketing, however his plans changed somewhere down the line. “They put the steel mill between Columbus and Starkville, and I kind of figured go to work there,” McGill said. “I

would have been happy doing that, too, but somewhere along the way, I realized I just could not put music down. I could not help but do it, so I figured, “Why not make a dollar off of it?’” McGill has been involved in music for a long time according to Universal Music Publishing Group, the label for which he works. He started piano lessons at age five, and the guitar at age nine. It was evident to his German professor Sally Gray, who was one of McGill’s favorite teachers, he had a musical inclination. She described him as quiet and a good listener, and she said it was exciting to hear the news he was nominated for two Grammys.

Transforming her narrative into a nonprofit

Student Amanda Swanton raises awareness for POTS KATIE POE

NEWS EDITOR

Karen Stanley | Courtesy Photo

Amanda Swanton, a 20-year-old freshman business administration major, is the founder of A85 Cure Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit raising awareness for POTS.

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At 16 years old, Amanda Swanton started experiencing what would become a sequence of 25 fainting spells that obstructed her everyday, teenage life. Curious as to the nature of these spells, Swanton visited half a dozen doctors before she was diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, or POTS. This is a syndrome of the autonomic nervous system controlling heart rate, blood pressure and breathing. A person with POTS has a higher heart rate which creates palpitations and dizziness. “I started having these really bad fainting spells; they would happen anywhere,” Swanton said. “I’d go to school, I’d go home, I’d be at show choir practice, and I would just pass out.” Swanton eventually had

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to leave show choir, but still found enjoyment in watching and playing soccer with her cousin Abbey Krull. Swanton’s parents describe the journey to POTS diagnosis as a rocky one. “I was like a rollercoaster of emotions,” said her father, Sal Swanton. “You start out thinking that it’s the absolute worst, so every time we got news that it was not a brain tumor, we could cross that off the list and were so grateful. Receiving that news was always a relief, but then we’d go right onto the next, and right back on that rollercoaster.” Swanton’s mom, Linda Swanton, said after more than 16 visits to the emergency room, the family became vexed. “(Amanda Swanton) was so frustrated with what she went through. Some doctors didn’t even mention POTS or had no clue what it was,” Linda Swanton said. Inspired by her own

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Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, or POTS, is a condition of the autonomic nervous system controlling heart rate, blood pressure and even breathing. trepidatious journey, Swanton developed a passion for getting the word out about POTS, a surprisingly common syndrome. After being diagnosed, she began to research her condition. According to Swanton, POTS affects three million people around the world, which is more than Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease combined. “After that, I went online and did some research on POTS, and what I found was really upsetting and heartbreaking—people who were completely debilitated and laying in bed and just so upset that they had this,” she said. “I thought that was so unfair. So I decided that

this is not going to be me, nor is it going to be anybody else, so I decided to start a nonprofit organization.” Swanton thought of the idea to start A85 Cure in January 2016. At first, her mother suggested they call the organization the Amanda Swanton Foundation, but Swanton said it sounded like “too much me for me.” To keep a piece of herself in the name, she added the “A,” and the 85 comes from a statistic. Amanda said 85 percent of patients will be misdiagnosed before they find out they have POTS. The word “cure” was added because funding research is a large part of the foundation.

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Spring 2019 Senate Calendar 8

January

General Body Committee Planning Meeting, Taylor Auditorium Meeting,

Committee Business Work Meeting, Meeting, Fowlkes Auditorium

Old Main 1200

Fowlkes Auditorium

february 12

General Body Committee Meeting, Planning Taylor Auditorium Meeting,

Committee Business Work Meeting, Meeting, Fowlkes Auditorium

Old Main 1200

Fowlkes Auditorium

March

General Body Meeting,

SPRING BREAK

Committee Business Work Meeting, Meeting,

Taylor Auditorium

Fowlkes Auditorium

Old Main 1200

Union Ballroom

“You could tell he was a musician because musicians always learned the pronunciation really fast and really well,” Gray said. “He would learn by hearing, which gave him an up in German class. I claim no credit whatsoever, but I’m so happy for him.” The roots of country music run deep in McGill, who said he first started enjoying country in the 1990s before picking up a guitar in the ninth grade, when he started doing more rock ‘n roll. He went to Los Angeles and performed at small theaters before realizing he needed to be somewhere else, doing something different. “I got to the point where I realized I enjoyed creating music more than I enjoy playing it live,” McGill said. “It was just the stress that I didn’t really feel like doing it. I started thinking about it, and shortly after that, I made the move to Nashville.” It was in Nashville where McGill met a songwriter he

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highly respected, Tony Lane. McGill said he realized he was not immediately ready to write and compete with the experienced songwriters in Nashville. “I started working at a booking agency for about two years until I could sharpen my chops,” McGill said. “I got a couple of cuts, and then I went to a publishing deal after that. My parents and my wife have always been huge supporters.” The inspiration for McGill’s songs come from his real life. He said he draws inspiration from things he did with his ‘buddies’ in Columbus, as well as experiences with his wife, daughter and parents. The words he lives by as far as songwriting goes are simple: “I try not to write it if I have not lived it.” “Life experiences are just the whole inspiration. You can just be the working man poet and tell what the story actually is, that is what I love about country (music),” McGill said. “I

love writing lyrics and telling stories.” McGill said he keeps a running list of song ideas on his phone. From there, he will bounce ideas off of his co-writers before finishing the lyrics, putting together the melodies and demo-ing the song. After the demo, the song is sent to the “song pluggers,” as McGill called them. Similar to songwriting, college is a refining process, according to Gray. She said it is great to see students grow up and be successful after attending MSU. “It is very rewarding to work with people and see them grow,” Gray said. “See them blossom and go out in the world and make their way in the world. Mississippi State students are a joy to work with.” Gray said she knew McGill was successful, but he is one type of success she has never had before as a former student. “I’ve never had a Grammy nominee before,” Gray said.

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SA Banquet,

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All meetings will start at 6:00 p.m. in their respective locations. Rosalind Hutton

Bedwell said there are usually about 600 volunteers each year, with roughly 20 service sites. She said this is a great opportunity for students and others to become more familiar with the community. “They can see the needs within the community that

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they may not have realized were present,” Bedwell said. Jernigan said this event reaches beyond the university and extends into the local communities through the “Day of Service.” He said it is important for students to

consider King’s goal to be of service to those in needs. “We want our students to have the same qualities as MLK, and share them with the city of Starkville,” Jernigan said. “We’re not just Mississippi State, but we’re Starkville, Mississippi, as well.”

SWANTON Originally from Chicago, which is where she founded her nonprofit, Swanton decided to attend Mississippi State University to study business administration with a minor in public relations. While touring MSU last spring, she came across the Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach, which has nurtured successful startup companies like Glo and Juva. On her second day of school, she walked into the E-Center with plans to grow her nonprofit. She went through the stages of the VentureCatalyst program, which is designed to help students and faculty get startups up and running. However, the Entrepreneurship Center Advisory Board had never given a grant to a nonprofit before, Director of Outreach Jeffrey Rupp said. “This is, I believe, the first of its kind for us,” he said. “She went through the process like any other entrepreneur. She got the $500 to explore the idea, and she qualified to go before ECAB, so well why not let her pitch? She really took that pitch seriously. She had done her homework. She was smart, she was committed, and if she were pitching a business, she would have passed the pitch with flying colors.” When the board was discussing the pitches, they decided this was one they needed to fund. “We believe in her. We believe in the cause,” Rupp said. “Also, we believe that entrepreneurs should be giving back, so we wanted to set the example.” As far as this instance setting precedence for other nonprofits to pitch to ECAB, Rupp said funding will still be decided on a case-by-case basis. “The Entrepreneurship

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Center and entrepreneurship by definition is about starting ventures and making money. It’s our main goal,” Rupp said. “The bar is pretty high for nonprofits.” Speaking on Swanton’s character, Rupp said he admires her initiative. “She’s carrying a full load: she has this disease, she’s started a nonprofit,” he said. “I mean, she’s trying to do all these things at once and I have a lot of admiration for her.” Swanton’s father echoed Rupp’s sentiment, saying whenever she is passionate about something, she really delves into it. “She’s a very compassionate, empathetic person,” Sal said. “She can put herself in someone else’s shoes. She’s just the kind of person that wakes up every day in a great mood and is ready to make you laugh.” Using her enthusiasm through A85 Cure, Swanton is able to bring awareness to POTS by fundraising and spreading knowledge on social media. Some fundraisers include golf tournaments, dance marathons and partnerships with businesses to have sales. “I’m not a doctor, I’m not medically trained, but I’m helping somebody else by bringing awareness to the cause,” Swanton said. For example, on Feb. 7, A85 Cure will partner with Kendra Scott Jewelry to have a jewelry sale at MSU, where students will get a 10 percent discount and 10 percent of the profit will go to A85 Cure. Amanda said she is grateful for the help from the E-Center. “It’s really an honor... It’s really so cool that I can look back and say, ‘A85 was the first nonprofit to come out of here,’” Swanton said.

Q&A with Amanda Swanton Fun fact: Amanda also plays girl’s lacrosse at MSU. What advice would you give to students who are thinking to open a business or nonprofit?

What kinds of plans do you have for A85’s future?

“The advice I would give is have patience. Don’t be afraid and just know that it’s not all going to go up, it’s going to be a little bit of a rocky start, but once you hit that high, you’re gonna stay on it forever and you’re always gonna remember that.”

“For A85’s future, we’re trying to raise $100,000 for a new POTS clinic that we would like to locate in Jackson at the children’s hospital there. It’s still in talks, so it’s not set yet. We’d also like to fund $300,000 to (Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital). They have a POTS clinic there. Research-wise, Children’s Hospital (of Mississippi) needs $50,000 as well, so we would like to give them that for their POTS research. We’re a small charity but we have big goals.”

What is your favorite thing here about the E-Center? “My favorite thing is just the people here. They are so wonderful and we really do all get along and it’s always something different here. They’re always laughing in the corner office, which is fun to hear. Mr. Rupp really makes it a great environment here. He makes sure everyone feels comfortable and respected.”

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BAD DAWGS Monday, Jan. 14, 2019 Employee reported missing inventory at Colvard Student Union. Student reported a vehicle following and harassing her while driving on Blackjack Road. Officer assisted Starkville Police Department for a medical assist off campus. Student transported to OCH. Student issued an arrest citation and referral for possession marijuana in Sessums. Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019 Student reported being harassed by another student. Non-resident/visitor drove through the president’s yard causing damages. Officer assisted SPD with warrants on a resident of city/county on Blackjack CLASSIFIEDS FOR RENT: Small cottage in the country– two bedroom, one bath. Four miles from campus. Available NOW until Aug. 1, 2019. Furnished with washer, dryer, refrigerator, stove. Pet Friendly. $475 deposit, $475 monthly. For more information, call 662-769-2542. FOR RENT: One bedroom with private bath sublet available in Aspen Heights nowAugust 2019. Part of a 4 bedroom/5 bath

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Road. Justice Court citation was issued for a suspended driver’s license, no insurance and improper equipment. Student arrested on College View Street for driving with suspended driver’s license. Justice Court citation issued. Employee reported missing inventory at Hand Chemical Lab. Resident of city/county arrested on Blackjack Road for improper equipment and suspended driver’s license. Justice Court citations were issued. Notable Traffic Citations Five MSU citations were issued for speeding, the worst of which was 61/30 on Lee Boulevard. Two MSU citations were issued for disregarding traffic devices on Stone Boulevard.

townhouse. Call 256655-6432 for more information. The deadline for Tuesday’s paper is 3 p.m. Thursday. The deadline for Friday’s paper is 3 p.m. Tuesday. Classifieds are listed at $5 per issue. Student and staff ads are listed at $3 per issue, pre-paid. Lost and found items: Found items can be listed for free; lost items are listed at standard ad cost. CLUB INFO The deadline for Tuesday’s paper is 3 p.m. Thursday. The deadline

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... in 1882, A. A. Milne, creator of Winnie-the-Pooh, was born. Milne, the youngest of three boys, was born to schoolteacher parents. Milne taught himself how to read at the age of two. He wrote humorous pieces as a schoolboy and later on in Cambridge, where he worked and edited the school’s newspaper. In 1913, he married his wife, Daphne. Two years later, he served in World War I in France. While in the military, he wrote several plays, on of which, “Mr. Pim Passes By,” found success in 1919. In 1920, their only son, Christopher Robin, was born. At one years old, Christopher Robin received a stuffed bear as a present. The child soon had several similar stuffed animals, which Milne drew inspiration from and began writing a series of whimsical stories. In the early years of Christopher Robin’s life, the family bought Cotchford Farm in Sussex, where Milne found inspiration for the Hundred Acre Wood from a nearby forest. In 1926, “Winnie-the-Pooh” was published, followed by “The House at Pooh Corner” in 1928. These books were illustrated by Ernest Shepard, who used Christopher Robin and his animals as models. history.com

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OPINION

Automation is inevitable Tulsi Gabbard is a weak Democratic presidential candidate future of employment, this

BRANDON GRISHAM

is a sophomore majoring in business information systems. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.

Automation has frightened workers for over a century. Ever since the dawn of the industrial revolution, workers have feared machines may replace all human work. Mechanical muscles worked faster, stronger and tirelessly to reduce jobs, and led to efficiently cheap abundance. However, these machines were dull, towering behemoths that could only perform simple and repetitive tasks in manufacturing or resource production. While many scholars scoff at the idea of not having a job in the future, do not be too quick to mistake this as the same situation. Technology and the internet are now involved in every facet of our daily lives, but that is still a fairly recent change. The Information Age has only been going for a few decades, and we are now noticing terrifying new problems that result from data processing and prediction. Like my fellow classmates, I was curious about lower job security in the future, even with a college degree. This curiosity led to several educational videos discussing automation, including a CGP Grey short film and an animated Kurzgesagt video. “Humans Need Not Apply,” CGP Grey’s 2014 short film, gave some sobering data that makes the Great Depression preferable to our situation. Whereas the Great Depression only impacted a quarter of the working American population, roughly half of all jobs are likely to become automated. Kurzgesagt’s video, “Why Automation is Different this Time,” only provides more frustrating data. Machines can improve in increments far faster than humans, swapping code to suit whatever task is at hand. The lower rate of error, increasing rate of speed and shareable updates lead to humans not even being considered for most future positions. Studies have tested the impact of automation for decades, including a major 2013 study by Carl Benedikt Frey and Michael A. Osborne of the University of Oxford. Aiming to determine the

study asked how susceptible jobs are to computerization. Factoring in the advancements in machine learning, lower computational cost and data collected by respected agencies, the results outline an inevitable exponential curve in efficiency. After testing over 700 occupations, 47 percent of all work is at risk to become automated within the next few decades. The timeline for this impact is still to be determined, but the data all leads to machines becoming far superior to humans. Whereas humans take years to specialize, a computer can be upgraded and duplicated to suit needs of production. Erin Winick of the MIT Technology Review summarized several scholastic studies last year regarding automation. Her findings were that there is not a clear definition between optimism and devastation. The overall time-frames are skewed based on the technology discussed, leading to figures in diverse occupational fields. Many studies focused on specific industries, including the transportation upgrade with autonomous vehicles. While numerous studies were created by dozens of global experts, none seemed to be “on the same page.” This led to one specific conclusion: there is no clear answer as to how many jobs will actually be lost to automation, but it will happen over time. I wanted to help calm radical notions that automation addresses, but after my research, I cannot offer much except a warning. Automation is not coming because it has already been around for decades. The difference this time is that our mental performance is now inefficient, as we are limited by our slow bodies and living costs. Perhaps the most infuriating statistic is U.S. workers provided 194 billion hours in both 1998 and in 2013, yet became over 40 percent more productive in that time, according to Winick. If that was the case, why is the wealth gap getting wider when we should all be working less? Jobs will disappear in faster intervals, leaving us extremely productive but unable to purchase anything if only jobs provide income. I am not sold on universal basic income, but few alternatives will keep our global economy functioning when the majority of humanity is replaced by smarter machines.

DAVID SIDES

is a senior majoring in finance and German. Contact him at opinion@ reflector.msstate.edu.

No one has to point out the 2020 election cycle is crucial for the Democratic Party. It will be the true test of their appeal to the coming generation. The midterms were important, and encouraging from a Democratic perspective. However, Democrats need to take the White House in 2020 if they are to make meaningful policy changes and combat the results of President Donald Trump-era decisions. We know Trump is going to run again, and as much as no one in the political sphere wants him to (yes, most of the Republicans, too), there is a good chance he will take the Republican nomination again. No one thought it would happen in 2016, and he surprised everyone by winning first the nomination, and then the election. If the Democrats are not ready and prepared for this presidential election cycle, they will get blindsided again. Then what, you ask, can the Democrats do to win? The Democrats have to present a stellar presidential ticket to the American population. Not just the presidential nominee, but a unifying vicepresidential candidate as well. Over the past few months, we have heard a ton of names being whispered, such as Joe Biden, Beto O’Rourke and Kamala Harris. We even already have a few confirmed running: Kirsten Gillibrand, Sherrod Brown, Julian Castro and last and possibly least, Tulsi Gabbard. Almost any combination of these names would be a solid choice to go against the Republican nominee. However, one name on this list would not just be a disappointing and lackluster nominee, but also a questionable representative of the tenets of the Democratic Party. Tulsi Gabbard, daughter of Senator Mike Gabbard, has achieved a lot of firsts. One of her most wellknown firsts is that she is a Samoan-American and

Rosalind Hutton

Hindu member of Congress. However, I highly doubt she will be the first female president. Gabbard was first elected to the House in the 2012 election cycle while still opposing abortion rights and opposing the legal acknowledgement of samesex relationships, which was officially legalized a year later in United States vs. Windsor. Gabbard later changed her official position on samesex relationships, and now supports them. However, this change was not until shortly before the 2013 Supreme Court ruling, according to Andrew Kaczynski of CNN. Her conservative social beliefs most likely stem from those of her father, Mike Gabbard, a Democratic Senator also from Hawaii. However, Gabbard does meet the litmus test on some issues, such as Medicare for all and renewable energy. Gabbard’s most concerning deviation from the Democratic norm is her views on international relations, especially as it concerns military intervention in the Middle East. Gabbard has been a vocal critic of American military

action in the Syrian Civil War, an extremely complex and turbulent situation on an international scale. She even went so far as to meet with Trump shortly after he was elected in order to convince him to withdraw troops from the region. As a rule, Democrats are not too keen on supporting military intervention abroad, and I am by no means a hawk, but that does not mean the Democratic Party is full of isolationists. Especially egregious is the use of chemical weapons in Syria by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. However, Gabbard’s feelings concerning the Syrian situation go beyond simple isolationism. Gabbard has frequently refused to condemn alAssad’s rule, and does not agree with American plans to remove him from power, according to Elise Viebeck of The Washington Post. Furthermore, she even met with al-Assad when visiting Syria. Of course there is a larger conversation here of whether it is the role of America to be involved in what began as a civil war, but it is bigger than that now.

Here, we have a myriad of world powers. Those world powers are Russia and the U.S., more regional powers such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia and smaller specific-interest groups like the Kurds and the fragmented remains of ISIS. If the U.S. is to withdraw from the region, they allow Russia to become the chief influence in the region, and effectively determine the results of the conflict. Gabbard’s stance here is clearly against that of the Democratic Party, and in my belief, against American international interests. All in all, I do not think Gabbard is a poor politician or a particularly bad member of the Democratic Party. I respect that she has changed her beliefs over the years, like most normal people do. I only offer this criticism of her, and particularly of her views on the Syrian crisis, to say that I do not believe she should be the Democratic nominee for president. We have other excellent candidates who would do a better job of uniting the base and who appeal to a wider audience, and they should be the focus of the Democratic Party in the 2020 election.

Casting a vote for third party candidates is useless

CHRIS LOWE

is a senior majoring in business information systems. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.

When I started writing for The Reflector back in the fall of 2016, one of the first articles I wrote argued for the validity of voting for third party candidates in national elections. In fact, I took my own advice and voted third party in the 2016 presidential election. After a couple years of a President Donald Trump leading the country and

realizing the ramifications of a close election, I now realize my previous viewpoint was idealistic at best and naive at worst. The sad reality of American politics is, it is absolutely dominated by two parties. If the 2016 election, which sported two of the worst candidates this country has seen in decades, could not make a third-party candidate even remotely relevant, it stands to reason the two-party system will never change. Let me put this into perspective. According to Christopher Klein of the History Channel, Theodore Roosevelt in the election of 1912 still holds the record for third party votes with his Bull Moose party. Even at the peak of third parties’ relevance, it was still only enough to split the vote of the Republicans,

and lead to an easy victory for Woodrow Wilson. This is the most any thirdparty candidate has ever been able to get, as arguably the next most successful one, Ralph Nader, essentially accomplished the same thing by paving the way for former President George Bush to narrowly defeat Al Gore in the 2000 election. With this said, I still stand by the idea that we should be able to vote for more than two political parties without wasting our vote, but I now realize we would indeed be wasting our vote by doing

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as well call Laslo a prophet, because that is exactly what has happened. It is just irresponsible to vote third party in situations where the wrong person being elected could cause so much damage. I am not the type of person to ever be okay with having my choices limited or being forced to pick my poison, but the 2016 election showed me it is better to make an impact in a direct way than to simply using my vote to protest. I would love to see a change in this country, so that all Americans can truly choose who they actually identify with on a political level without wasting their vote. I wish the contents of this article were not true, but they are, and it is better to face facts than live life fooling yourself.

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so nonetheless. It is simply too idealistic to think the system will work any other way in the reality we live in. The 2016 election showed yet again why voting third party can potentially be ruinous. I did not, and still do not approve of Hillary Clinton, but having her in office right now would be beyond preferable to the complete embarrassment we have there now. I am not sure if it would have changed the outcome if everyone would have cast their votes for only the two major parties, but I

believe it would have had a strong chance of doing so. Most people I know, including myself, who opted for third-party candidates did so because they hated the idea of both Clinton and Trump, but the majority of those people were against Trump much more. From this conclusion, I can determine us idealists are partially responsible for the situation America finds itself in today. Matt Laslo for The Guardian stated during that election what I wish I would have thought about at the time, “This isn’t the year to mess with a third-party vote – since no third-party candidate is going to win, all those votes might do is prevent a Clinton victory, putting the GOP meltdown front and center in global governance.” We might

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LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT

X Ambassadors return to Starkville in February TALLY DUKE STAFF WRITER

Mississippi State University’s Music Maker Productions announced the headliner for their spring concert: X Ambassadors. Located at the MSU Horse Park, the concert is scheduled with doors opening at 7:00 p.m. and the show starting at 8:00 p.m. Feb. 22. Tickets are on sale on the first floor of the Colvard Student Union during week days, and are also available online at www.msuconcerts. org. The cost is $20.00 for students and $25.00 for the community, but the discounted tickets are selling fast and are not expected to last much longer. Bailey Berry, the Music Makers Productions publicity chair, said she is hopeful for a sold-out show since the X Ambassadors seem to have a large following on campus due to their unique yet poplike sound.

“Tickets were released Tuesday, and we have had a really great turnout, especially in regard to our student tickets,” Berry said. Berry said the team considers many factors when deciding on which artist to select for their spring concert. “When Music Maker Productions looks at booking musicians, our main consideration is what we think students want to see, or what genre we haven’t looked at recently,” Berry said. A major factor in picking an artist is making sure the artist can bring something fun and fresh to the Starkville community. The X Ambassadors opened for Bulldog Bash in 2015, but since then, the band has grown their following significantly. “Music Makers has had such a great feedback from the community regarding X Ambassadors’ return, and

many are looking forward to the band’s return,” Berry said. Natasha Wilson, an MSU junior, said she is excited for the X Ambassadors to come to Starkville. “I bought my ticket the first day they were available because I’ve been a fan of the band for years,” Wilson said.

Wilson and many other students are surprised to see such a popular musical group come to a small Mississippi town like Starkville. “I hope they sing my favorite song, ‘Unsteady,’ and I will be there front row with my friends on Feb. 22,” Wilson said. Last year’s spring concert at the MSU Horse Park

Rosalind Hutton

was a sold-out show, and featured rapper A$AP Ferg. The venue was a hit with the crowd because of the space, but it was very muddy due to the weather on the previous day. Since the MSU Horse Park is convenient for students and the community as it is within close proximity to campus, Berry said they

decided to continue to host their concerts at this location, despite the issues with mud. “We got such great feedback regarding the venue, we decided to go back again this year,” Berry said. “It’s a really fun venue that provides a great experience for the audience.” Chris Paul, an MSU sophomore who went to the A$AP Ferg concert last spring, said he thinks the X Ambassadors will be a better fit, since the band is more popular. “I liked A$AP Ferg as an artist and his music, but unfortunately, I don’t think many others in the crowd were fans,” Paul said. “But X Ambassadors is way more well known, so this year should be way more successful.” For further information and updates on the tickets, follow Music Maker Productions on their Twitter and Instagram accounts @ Music_Maker.

MLK Day of Service works to preserve King’s legacy SARAH MORGAN JOHNSON STAFF WRITER

This MLK Day, the Maroon Volunteer Center encourages Mississippi State University students, faculty and community members to use their day off work and school as an opportunity to give back to the Starkville community. The MLK Day of Service is part of United We Serve, a national service initiative where communities all over the country join together to carry on King’s legacy of service. At 8 a.m. Jan. 21, the community-wide Unity Breakfast will be served at The Mill, followed by a keynote speaker at 9:00 a.m. Volunteers can check in between 8 and 10 a.m. to receive their wristband and service location.

The first 500 volunteers to check in will also receive a free t-shirt. This year marks the 24th year Starkville has hosted the MLK Unity Breakfast, and is the eighth year the event has been followed by this nationwide opportunity to serve. According to the Corporation for National and Community Service’s website, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday was deemed a national holiday by the government in 1983. Only 11 years later, the holiday was declared a national day of service. While King’s birthday is Jan. 15, the holiday is observed on every third Monday of January, which usually falls around his birthday. The vision behind MLK Day of Service, as stated by the Corporation for National and Community

Service, is to “empower individuals, strengthen communities, bridge barriers, create solutions to social problems and move us closer to Dr. King’s vision of a ‘Beloved Community.’” Meggan Franks, the interim director of Student Leadership and Community Engagement at MSU, said by actively working as a community on these different service projects, MLK Day becomes “a day on, not a day off.” The Maroon Volunteer Center is partnering this year with the Office of Institutional Diversity, the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center. “We partnered with these organizations in 2015. That year, we had 300 volunteers participate.

MSU’s Office of Study Abro ad hosts s emiannual study abroad fair HELEN SINGLETON STAFF WRITER

The Office of Study Abroad, a division of Mississippi State University’s International Institute, is presenting its semi-annual fair to assist students interested in studying abroad from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 23 in the Dawg House of the Colvard Student Union. The fairs are offered once each fall and spring semester, and this will be the 10th year the fair has been conducted. Last summer, over 400 MSU students studied abroad. This fair is a great opportunity for students who have never heard of study abroad programs and are interested in learning more, or for anyone who has questions regarding studying abroad. Annie Carr, the study abroad coordinator at MSU, said these opportunities allow students to grow both in their personal and academic life. “Study(ing) abroad gives students the opportunity to learn another culture and live in another country, while also earning course credit at the same time,” Carr said. Study abroad programs are open to all students in any major or classification, and credits earned can be put toward majors, minors or electives. Carr studied abroad

many times in various countries, including the Netherlands and Guatemala. She said she enjoyed the programs so much, she decided to dedicate her life to sharing her experiences with others and encouraging them to study abroad as well Kacey Faver, a junior majoring in international business, said she ventured to Alcala de Henares, Spain, last summer. “I gained a new understanding and appreciation for other cultures, made new friends from all over the world and learned in a way that I never would have been able to learn from in a classroom in the United States,” Faver said. Studying abroad also allows students to visit places they may never be able to go to again due to future situations involving money, time, work or family. Plus, studying abroad looks great on a resume. Madison Zuber, an MSU junior who studied abroad last summer, said her favorite part was how she grew as she tried something new. “Whenever you are that far away from home and are disconnected from friends and family but surrounded by people who speak a different language, you learn so much about how far you can push past your comfort zone, and how much the world has to offer outside of the United

States,” Zuber said. The fair will have over 45 tables set up, each run by the directors of each study abroad program, so all programs are represented. Some of the programs include studying in Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Italy and France, just to name a few. The offices of financial aid, scholarship and National Student Exchange will also be present in order to assist students with any questions regarding funding or scholarships for this experience. The Office of Study Abroad also hosts biweekly sessions to assist with the process of applying or answering any questions. General information interest sessions are held bi-weekly at 3:15 p.m. Tuesdays in room 220 of the Union, and at 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays in the second floor conference room of the YMCA Building. Advising sessions are held bi-weekly for specific questions about programs from 2-4 p.m. Thursdays in Allen Hall room 116, and 9:30-11:30 a.m. Fridays in McCool Hall room 129. Students can find more information about studying abroad through MSU at www.international.msstate. edu/abroad/. They can also visit the official Facebook page, MSU Study Abroad or its Instagram page at msustudyabroad.

Now, we have between 500 to 600,” Franks said. “We are so happy with that number, but we would also love to see it reach 1,000 one day.” Franks said this event brings together MSU students, faculty, staff and Starkville community members, describing it as an opportunity for “students to meet other students and also engage in community life.” Every year, there have between 20 and 25 service locations. Most of these are in Starkville, but this year, four locations are in Columbus.

Emily Bedwell, an MSU accounting graduate student overseeing the event, said she got involved with the Maroon Volunteer Center because she has always had a passion for volunteering. The Maroon Volunteer Center has been a perfect fit for her because it also acts as a job. “Not only am I working and getting paid, but I am also making a difference in the community,” Bedwell said. Bedwell said she especially believes in the importance of students volunteering for the MLK Day of Service, despite

many only being temporary residents. “We forget that there’s a town here. We get caught so up in the university bubble,” Bedwell said. “This gives students an opportunity to see Starkville, and see the needs that are here.” All service projects will last between 10:45 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. Transportation will be provided if needed, and busses heading to service sites will leave between 10 and 10:15 a.m. To register as an individual or as a team, visit https:// mlkdaystarkville.weebly. com/contact.html.

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SPORTS

State of State with John Cohen as athletics spring into season HUNTER CLOUD SPORTS EDITOR

John Cohen, athletic director at Mississippi State University, stood in his office wearing maroon on a Friday morning sacrificing his time to do an interview before leaving to go for his routine run. Two years ago, he had stepped away from the baseball diamond and was named the 17th director of athletics at MSU succeeding Scott Stricklin, something Cohen said he had prepared for a long time. “I’ve said this many times, inevitably, when you are 25-30 years into your career, you have to like yourself and really like what you are doing,” Cohen said. “I loved what I was doing at Mississippi State coaching baseball, but I had been preparing for longer, ever since I was a kid for this kind of opportunity.” Cohen said he had some great mentors with the likes of Scott Stricklin, Greg Byrne and Mitch Barnhart, as well as many others. As far as why he loves his job as athletic director, it is because of the challenges he has to face. “I love the combination of skills that you have to sharpen and refine every single day to sit behind this desk. And I love that challenge,” Cohen said. One of the skills Cohen has been challenged with using often over the past two year is the hiring of new coaches. Soccer and track and field coaches resigned just this last season, so a new coaching search is underway. “We are well underway, our staff is doing a ton of research, and we believe soccer will happen fairly quickly,” Cohen said. “Josh Rife has been our interim

(soccer) coach, and Chris Woods has been our interim track coach. Those guys have done a great job of being part of the process.” As for what the process looks like, Cohen said they are looking everywhere to find the right person for MSU. He added how the Hump will follow a similar timeline to the Dudy Noble Field’s renovation. “Mississippi State deserves the full attention of a national search,” Cohen said. “We would love for it to follow close to the same timeline as baseball. I would say it would follow a very similar type of timeline.” The new Dude was announced in 2014 and will be completely finished by opening day of baseball, Feb. 15, 2019. Not only has MSU renovated their athletic facilities, something Cohen said they will continue to improve upon, they have also developed a culture Cohen would describe as blue collar. “We have so many different sports and each one has their own thing,” Cohen said. “But certainly, we are one of those schools who has to out compete, outwork, and it’s hard to encapsulate 400 student athletes and 208 employees in one word.” Another way of defining MSU athletics would be to look at the connection the athletic teams have to the community of Starkville and vice versa. “I’m so incredibly fortunate to be in this community of Starkville and Mississippi State University because it is truly a family. Our kids really enjoy it,” Cohen said. Family is what defines the connection between the university and the community it shares with

Kelly Donoho | The Reflector

John Cohen the day he introduced the new baseball coach Chris Lemonis. Cohen has been the director of athletics for two years at MSU.

Starkville. Cohen said this is something that has always stuck out to prospective students and student athletes. “Every time we have a kid on a visit, who are not familiar with Mississippi State, (they) will say, ‘This

more than just success, but also in academics. “Last semester, we had (an average) 3.17 GPA for almost 400 student athletes. That is the highest we have ever had,” Cohen said. “If you look back at the past 365 days, it is really the most

“I am so incredibly fortunate to be in this community of Starkville and

Mississippi State University because it is truly a family. Our kids really enjoy it.” -John Cohen, athletic director

is how I thought it was supposed to be,’” Cohen said. “In a very positive way, I think that is because of the Starkville community.” As MSU continues to grow with more and more students, the athletic department also grows in

successful in the history of our program, athletically.” With the fall semester and football season over, now it is time for spring semester and all the other sports, tennis, golf, track and field, baseball, softball and basketball to get going.

Cohen said his department is a different kind of busy. There is a plethora of spring sports, but their game schedules are more spread out; whereas with fall sports, football, volleyball and soccer, most games seem to be scheduled more closely together. “We are all really busy, everyone at this university is busy because we are trying to make this place better everyday,” Cohen said. “Every once in a while, sometimes the least busiest time for our staff is during the actual game because of what we have to do during our game and before our game. The during is about our student athletes, the before and after is about serving our fans.” The spring is an exciting time for fans with so many games, and Cohen shares that excitement as teams like softball, tennis, and track and field are poised to have a great year. “There are so many different neat things

happening,” Cohen said. “There are so many really fun things happening on campus, and I can’t wait to go to those.” Cohen said the tradition and history surrounding baseball at MSU is also something very exciting to have in the spring. While the traditions at MSU remain relatively unchanged, they also are trying to keep things modern for younger fans to improve the fan experience. “We want our athletes and our fans to have the best game-day experiences possible,” Cohen said. “Sometimes tradition and modernizing or moving into the future conflict, but we try to pull those things together and marry them.” The greatest example of tying the knot between tradition and modernity is probably the most iconic image of MSU athletics, the Left Field Lounge. “One of the greatest traditions in all of college baseball,” Cohen said. “I don’t think it has ever been stronger than it is right now. Our fans have really embraced the new facility we have. It is different, it’s safer, it’s more available to anyone who wants to be a part of it, the sight lines are spectacular and amenities are far better than they used to be.” Cohen said there was originally a bit of disgruntlement from the fans, however the disposition has changed as they experienced the modern Left Field Lounge this past season. “I have not talked to anyone who is disappointed with what happened to the Left Field Lounge and how it evolved,” Cohen said. “That is a great marriage of tradition, but also modern at the same time.”

Column: Baseball, a toast to Veteran steps up to get victory a new season of our pastime RENALDO HOPKINS STAFF WRITER

“Don’t worry, Buddy, it’s almost time.” HUNTER CLOUD

is a sophomore majoring communication. Contact him sports@reflector.msstate.edu

in at

It’s the taste of hot dogs grilling under the hot Mississippi sun; it’s the wall of smoke rolling across the outfield from the Left Field Lounge; it’s the smell of fresh-cut grass in the early spring. As the next season of baseball steps up to the plate at the newly renovated Dudy Noble Field, not much has changed in essence in the 51 years of baseball at Dudy Noble. This season marks 33 years of sellouts of reserved season tickets for baseball according to the Athletic Department of Mississippi State University. The rich history surrounding the Diamond Dogs is now mixing with the new in a newly finished stadium and a newly hired head coach Chris Lemonis. It hasn’t been too long since baseball season ended in Omaha for the Bulldogs. The team went through a lot last season. It was a year where they overcame a coach resigning after the first weekend, being down to their final strike at the Tallahassee regional and experiencing an offensive explosion in their victory over North Carolina, before being eliminated from the tournament by Oregon State in the two semifinal games. If you go to Chadwick

Rosalind Hutton

Lake today, you can probably hear the crack of the aluminum bats, the popping of leather gloves and the music blaring as the Bulldogs practice just a month out from opening the season against Youngstown State on Feb. 15-17. The Bulldogs were ranked at 14th in the D1 baseball preseason top 25. They have players like Jake Mangum, Tanner Allen and Rowdey Jordan–all who are All-Americans. They will also have 18 newcomers. A common phrase heard in Starkville is, “There are three things in life that are guaranteed: death, taxes and Jake Mangum leadoff hits.” Mangum, a senior outfielder from Pearl, is one of the main constants on the MSU team. Going into this season, Mangum has the opportunity to do something special. He is just 77 hits away from the SEC career record for most hits (352). He provides an offensive anchor, being one of the three returning

players who started 50 or more games last season. He is also a veteran defender who, last season, made many outstanding defensive plays. While this season will be Mangum’s last in maroon and white, it is likely it will not be his last on the diamond. The fan-appointed mayor of Starkville, Mangum deserves to go out on top. Quite frankly, MSU deserves a College World Series Championship, but baseball is a long season. The season seems far out as well, being prolonged for another 28 days, but one thing is for sure: once baseball season arrives, it is best if it never ends. Or at least never ends until the Bulldogs win it all, and Mangum can ride off into the sunset. Here’s to another round of walk-off heroics, pitching duels, baseballs under the southern night sky and lights. Here’s to memories made, friendships formed and a pastime that defines Mississippi State.

With 10 seconds left and the game tied at 68, the perfect play was set up for Quinndary Weatherspoon, a senior guard from Canton, to get to the hoop. He made his fifth game-winning shot as Mississippi State University defeated the University of Florida 71-68. After being inches away from defeating No. 3 Tennessee Volunteers this past Saturday, the Florida Gators came to Starkville to get a victory over the Bulldogs, as MSU had suffered a tough 8177 loss against rival University of Mississippi on the same day. The contest was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams jockeying for dominance in the game, but neither one seemed to have full control of the game. It came down to the final 10 seconds with the score tied at 68, and MSU got possession after a timeout. Quinndary Weatherspoon activated his winning spirit, and found a way to finish inside with a layup; he was fouled with an opportunity to shoot at the line for one and would convert, ultimately giving the Bulldogs the win with the final score of 71-68. Head coach Ben Howland said Quinndary Weatherspoon is one of the special players he has coached in 31 years of D1 coaching who has made more than one game-winning shot. “I can’t remember one player that I have coached or been a part of the staff as an assistant that made more than one in his career,” Howland said. The late victory had snapped a losing streak of two SEC conference games for MSU, and Quinndary Weatherspoon said the team is now starting to get back in

rhythm after suffering two difficult setbacks. “I think it’s good. Just getting our confidence back to get back on the right track and win a couple more in a row like we did before,” Quinndary Weatherspoon said. Along with the lategame heroics of Quinndary Weatherspoon, who finished the game with 9 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists, the Bulldogs ramped up their play for this game, which was evident when the ball hit the floor. MSU played better defensively, a part of their game Howland was concerned with going into Tuesday’s game. The Bulldogs also played smart when it came to getting shots, as they had a 53.1 field goal percentage, and an outstanding 58.8 threepoint percentage. Two players who impacted the game the most on offense were guards Lamar Peters, a junior from New Orleans, and Tyson Carter, a junior from Starkville. Peters scored 16 points in the first half and nailed four threes in that half alone. When Carter came off the bench, he also made four threes in the game, and ended the game with 12 points. “(I) just got to make sure I stay locked in on the bench,”

Carter said. “Just stay focused, and when I get a chance, I can help my teammates.” Howland was very pleased by the way his team played against the Gators, expressing gratitude toward how well the players showed growth in their play and mentality on the court. “I thought we kept our composure so much better in this game than we did Saturday,” Howland said. “So that showed a lot of growth because that is something we have been talking about. Not being so emotional. Being positive.” As always, the MSU fans let their presence be known, which helped bring some much needed fire to the Bulldogs to pull away with the victory. Howland said he appreciated the 7,501 fans who attended the game. “I thought we had a great crowd tonight for a six o’clock game here in Starkville,” Howland said. “We had really good support. I’m so thankful for our crowd.” The Bulldogs will go on the road for their next game to play at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19 at Vanderbilt University. The game will be available on the SEC Network and the MSU Radio Network.

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